1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic treating apparatus of water, more particularly, a magnetic treating apparatus of water in which a novel combination of permanent magnets or of a permanent magnet and an electric conductor is employed to increase the current generated in such apparatus. Such apparatus is used for treating or conditioning potable water, industrial water, water passed through a building conduit, hot-springs, gardening water, recycled water in a factory, and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Various apparatuses for treating or conditioning water have been proposed to apply a magnetic field to the water passed through a conduit and hence to prevent the scale formation, to activate water or to attain other purposes. The electro-motive force necessary for activating water is generated by applying the principle of MHD (magneto hydrodynamic) power generation. Under this principle, the water must flow perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field. The water conduit may, therefore, be sandwiched between a magnet having an N pole and another magnet having an S pole.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (kokai) No. 9-308,888 discloses a magnetic treating apparatus of water constructed under the above-described principle. In this apparatus, a yoke provided outside the water conduit and permanent magnets focuses the magnetic flux within the water conduit. The permanent magnets are arranged lengthwise along the water conduit in such a manner that the upper and lower magnets have an S pole and an N pole, respectively. A direct-current magnetic field is, therefore, generated.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (kokai) No. 9-57,273 proposes to arrange a plurality of permanent magnets in the treating apparatus of water in such a manner that the direction of the magnetic field is identical.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,133 discloses a magnetic treater constructed under the above-described principle. The permanent magnets are arranged within a casing, lengthwise along the longitudinal direction of the casing, and are maintained at predetermined intervals therebetween. The opposed pair of the permanent magnets have the opposite poles, and the water passes through the clearance between the opposed pair of the permanent magnets.
Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3,043,069 discloses a treating apparatus of water in which the direction of the magnetic field is reversed along the longitudinal direction of a water conduit. This publication does not describe how the MHD electromotive force is influenced by wave-forming material located outside the permanent magnets.
Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3,011,870 proposes to insert a metallic plate within a water-conducting conduit of a magnetic treating apparatus. Red rust is allegedly prevented or removed by such metallic plate by the following effects of the invention. Anions impinge on the metallic plate and discharge electrons; these electrons negatively ionize the dissolved oxygen at the site opposite to the impinging site. The resultant O2 reduces the red rust. A metallic plate is provided to bridge the regions where a plurality of opposing magnets having opposite poles are located.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,579 discloses a magnetic fluid conditioner which comprises: a pipe; a concentric core within a pipe; several magnets containing segments of opposite poles arranged exterior to the pipe; and a wire electrically connected to the core and to the ground. According to an embodiment, four separate magnets are arranged at equal distances about the pipe. Each magnet has six separate sections. The magnet sections near the pipe where the fluid enters is charged north. The next section is charged south, with the next section charged north, and vice versa. This invention involves a discovery that a variable resistor, which controls the electrical flow through the controlled electrical return path, can control the magnetic field within the pipe.
The present inventors recognize that the activation degree attained by the conventional treating apparatuses of water is low because their consideration of the principle of MHD electromotive force is inadequate. Specifically, neither the metallic plate proposed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3,011,870 nor the core and wire proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,579 can enhance the MHD electromotive force which is described more in detail hereinbelow.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a treating apparatus of water which can enhance the activation efficiency of water.
In accordance with the objects of the present invention there is provided treating apparatus of water comprising:
a water conduit in which the water flows in a first direction;
at least one neighboring pair of magnetic field-generating regions in said water conduit in which regions a magnetic field is generated in a second direction essentially perpendicular to said first direction and applies a magnetic field to said water;
a first electric conductor, which is located in one of said magnetic field-generating regions and a third direction essentially perpendicular to said first direction and second direction intersects said first electric conductor; and,
a second electric conductors, which is located in the other of said magnetic field-generating regions and a third direction essentially perpendicular to said first direction and second direction intersects said second electric conductor; said first and second electric conductors being in electrically non-contact with one another.
Preferably, said second direction varies as seen in the flowing direction of water. Preferably, a pair of the first electric conductors is arranged opposite to one another, and a pair of the second electric conductors is arranged opposite to one another.
There is also provided a magnetic treating apparatus of water comprising:
a water conduit, through which the water flows in a first direction;
at least one magnetic field-generating region for generating the magnetic field in a second direction essentially perpendicular to said first direction in said water conduit, which region comprising a plurality of permanent magnets having a wedge-shaped cross sectional shape and arranged to form a dipole magnetic ring structure.